Younge quits BBC production

Pat Younge has resigned as chief creative officer at the BBC’s in-house production unit after three-and-a-half years in the job.

Younge, formerly president and general manager at Travel Channel, joined the Beeb in January 2010 but has seen his role eroded by recent restructures.

In an email to BBC staff, Younge said: “The new structure for BBC Television shifts us from a division split between commissioning and production to the new, genre-based model, and whilst I fully support the new structure and can already see an improved creative relationship between commissioning and production, the changes significantly impact the focus of my current role and responsibilities.”

Younge will work a notice period until the end of the year and says he will then look for new opportunities both within and outside the BBC. He has overseen the team responsible for shows including Strictly Come Dancing, Top Gear, Antiques Roadshow, EastEnders and Dragons’ Den.

He started his career as a researcher at LWT’s The London Programme in 1991 and spent time as commissioning editor for multicultural programmes at Channel 4. He was a current affairs series producer with the BBC and spent four years as the corporation’s head of programmes and planning for BBC Sport.

Younge was with Travel Channel from 2005 to 2009, overseeing all programming, production, development and operations for the network. He left in May 2009 and joined the BBC the following January to lead its 3,000-strong production unit’s efforts in drama, comedy, factual, entertainment and multi-platform programming.

Danny Cohen, promoted to BBC director of television in April, praised Younge’s commitment to in-house production and his role in creating production centres across the UK. He added that plans for the department in the wake of Younge’s departure would be revealed in the autumn.